


Babysitting Is Tough When You Just Wanna Make Out

by Ijustneed12percentofamoment



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bearded Steve Rogers, Captain America: The First Avenger, Coney Island, Date Night, Established Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Ferris Wheels, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Peter Parker Is The Third Wheel, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Sass and Snark, Sebastian Stan The Meme Lord, Semi-explicit sex, The cyclone, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, cute kisses, steve is worthy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 12:16:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18571306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ijustneed12percentofamoment/pseuds/Ijustneed12percentofamoment
Summary: Bucky had to go and open his big mouth, didn’t he? Man, Steve was gonna make him regret this later.Peter takes Steve and Bucky to Coney Island to defeat the Cyclone and everyone has a wonderful timeOr: Bucky is scared of heights but doesn't realise until it's too late





	Babysitting Is Tough When You Just Wanna Make Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cas_makes_me_very_happy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cas_makes_me_very_happy/gifts).



> I do not own any Marvel characters
> 
> This work is a gift to @cas_makes_me_very_happy because she's read so much of my angst fic

 

Bucky had to go and open his big mouth, didn’t he? Man, Steve was gonna make him regret this later.

They’d all been entranced by Peter’s story of his battle with the Vulture (all except for Tony, who looked like he was trying to not have an aneurysm) – from being excited for him about prom, to gasping when the Vulture’s true identity was revealed. The kid really knew how to tell a story that was for sure.

When the battle along the beach of Coney Island finished, and the team had congratulated him, clapped him on the shoulder, and affectionately berated him for giving Tony more anxiety than he already had, Bucky high fived him and then told him the story. That’s when it all went to hell.

Steve watched it unfolding as if in slow motion: Bucky laughing at the story of them going to Coney Island as kids, Bucky shouting him a ticket and making Steve come with him on the Cyclone, and the untimely up-chucking as soon as they stumbled off.

He couldn’t even deny it or convince Peter that it wasn’t true – and clearly he couldn’t get his dumb boyfriend to shut his mouth, despite the pure joy it brought to Peter.

“You mean you’ve never been there since?” he asked incredulously, and Steve shrugged.

“I either couldn’t afford it or wasn’t around.”

Peter’s face fell. “Oh my god, that is a tragedy – I _have_ to take you guys!”

“What’s happening now?” Sam perked up, returning to the couch with a soft drink. “Peter, are you bothering the elderly again?”

Steve didn’t know how to explain it – something just clicked in him, something like stubbornness or rivalry or a bit of both. He didn’t even realise the words were coming out of his mouth until all three of them stared at him in a collective mixture of amusement, surprize and excitement.

“Peter’s taking us to Coney Island.”

 

God, Bucky was right – he was an idiot. Steve sighed now as they shuffled further along in the line to Steve’s greatest foe. He wished he could go back two days and kick his past self for getting him into this mess – this was all past-Steve’s fault and present-day Steve hated it.

He was pretty sure he’d rather be in any other position right now than here. Steve would have taken anything – the more dangerous the better, like taking down a Hydra base, or tracking down a new threat to society, or even sparring with Nat.

Bucky glanced back at him and winked, grinning under his ridiculous tourist cap. Steve glared back, but as Bucky looked away and Steve let his gaze linger, he thought that he wouldn’t mind being in more comfortable, _enjoyable_ places right now, too. Maybe he’d get his revenge on Bucky later… Steve grinned as he imagined pinning Bucky against their bedroom wall, kissing him senseless, throwing that hat across the room, and letting his metal hand send shivers up his spine–

“This is gonna be great!” Peter exclaimed, bouncing on his heels before spinning in a circle, capturing them all in the moment on his phone. The next lot of people in front of them where shuffled onto the waiting cars and buckled into place. They were next. They were probably going to end up in the very front car. _Fuck_.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this…” Steve muttered, watching the rollercoaster whoosh past overhead carrying dozens of screaming riders.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun!” Bucky clapped him on the shoulder, a carbon copy of the first time they did this – right down to the words and the easy, confident smile. Despite being the same height now, Steve felt like the short, sickly kid he used to be – still looking up to Bucky for that resounding assurance that everything was going to be okay.

“Besides, you’ve got a Super Soldier stomach now – and you’ve been uncharacteristically non-hungry today.”  
“There is no way the others are ever going to let me forget about this…” Steve sighed, but Bucky just squeezed his shoulder.

“I believe in you Stevie – so does the kid – right, Parker?” Bucky asked, and Peter nodded automatically while typing, only catching the last half of the conversation.

“Oh, sure, absolutely.” He smiled, glancing up from his phone apologetically. “Sorry, Mr Stark just asked me to video call the whole thing so he didn’t miss out on anything.”

Steve groaned, already picturing the footage resurfacing at Christmas, his birthday – hell, Tony would probably circulate it in the group chat every week.

“Oh god. I’m going to become a meme, aren’t I?”

Bucky stole a handful of popcorn from Peter and frowned.

“I’m pretty sure it’s pronounced me-me.”

…

They all staggered off the ride, their legs taking a few moments to come to terms with flat ground again. All eyes – and phone – were on Steve, watching him for a reaction, a look, a sign that some things never change. Even Steve frowned, waiting for the surge of sickness to well up inside him...

But nothing happened.

Steve felt… _fine_. His eyebrows shot up, elation suddenly making him grin and Bucky matched it.

“Hey! You did it, buddy!” They laughed and cheered, clapping each other on the back and saying how much better the ride was now, was it always that fast? Did they think the first spiral was the worst, or the last? Should they do it again?

Understandably, they were too busy celebrating Steve’s victory over the Cyclone that neither of them noticed Peter sway and stumble over to the trashcan.

“Uhh, guys… I don’t feel so good…” Peter dropped his phone before he doubled over and started heaving.

The two Super Soldiers launched forward to try and support him as he almost went headfirst into the bin.

“Whoa, kid, you okay?” Bucky asked while Steve patted his back wincing, knowing exactly how he felt.

Peter was greener than the Hulk.

“I don’t think I should’a had that second mega mocha milkshake…” He coughed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Steve helped him to the public toilets to clean up in the sink, guilt burning him up.

“I think we should head home,” He said when they re-joined with Bucky.

The kid looked like he’d just been told that his puppy was going to be taken away.

“Aw what? No, I’m fine, I promise. It’s my own fault,” He explained hurriedly, but Steve still had that Responsibly Concerned Look knitted across his eyebrows.

“Seriously, I’m good now, I just gotta walk it off.” Peter pleaded, and Bucky chuckled, shaking his head.

“God, I’m having flashbacks. He’s as bad as you.” Bucky stabbed a thumb at Steve and Peter beamed.

…

The Cyclone had given Steve a new outlook on life – predominantly, life at a theme park – the opportunities were endless. Bucky was sure he had something missing in his frontal lobe to be _this_ bad at making judgement calls on self-preservation, but Steve ignored him.

Which should have been a sign in itself, and Bucky said as much.

“Let’s try that one!” Steve answered, pointing to the Soarin’ Eagle which people rode while lying on their stomachs. Bucky rolled his eyes.

“Oh man, I’ve always wanted to do that one!” Peter exclaimed and this time both Steve and Bucky looked at him a little oddly.

“You’re Spiderman – you get to do that literally everyday.” Bucky frowned.

Peter looked around himself, “ _Shhh_!” he stage whispered – there was no one around. Steve slung an arm around Peter’s shoulders and turned him towards the line.

“See ya soon, Buck!” He waved over his shoulder. “Don’t get up to anything while we’re gone.”

“How can I?” Bucky called back, “You’re taking all the stupid with you.”

Steve flipped him off and Bucky grinned, whipping out his phone and taking a video of Captain America riding the Soarin’ Eagle. He put a patriotic filter on it and posted it to the group chat with #godblessamerica underneath.

 

They made they’re way through a handful more rides, before settling for the lower-grade thrills.

Bucky was annoyingly good at running Steve into a corner at dodgems, while Peter beat them both at the basketball hoops, and was shocked when both Super Soldiers complained about how much they hated the ghost train.

“It’s so lame, yet so fucking scary.” Bucky couldn’t seem to see how the two things could work.

“Hey, look!” Peter gestured towards the carnival games, hoping to avoid a potential ‘back-in my-day’ spiel. The stall was a shooting game, with tiny machine guns and moving targets. “Bucky, you’d smash that.”

Bucky was hesitant at first – on the one hand, he didn’t want to draw attention to himself – and on the other, well, what if he missed…?

“ _Do it, do it, do it…!_ ” Steve and Peter whisper-chanted behind him, and he gave in.

Bucky didn’t miss. His eyes were wide and he couldn’t help the ridiculous, proud grin that crept onto his face when the stallholder awarded him with an enormous blue dragon plushie. It felt _so good_ to use his skills for good and be rewarded for it.

Steve won the strength test easily, and won an inflatable Mjölnir.

“You sir, are worthy!” The man running the stall boomed, handing Steve the toy.

Steve laughed and blushed when Bucky called, “Hell yeah, he is!” and shook him by the shoulders from behind.

Peter was an expert at carnival games it seemed, and for the first time ever, he actually had enough money to actually play all of them – he was trying not to lose his mind from sheer excitement.

His winnings included two fluffy dice, an inflatable doughnut ring, a bear, and best of all – a plastic Spiderman mask.

Steve and Bucky cheered and clapped like idiots when he tugged it on sheepishly.  
“Ohhh look who it is!”

“Spiderman! It’s actually Spiderman!”  
“Can you sign my arm, Spidey?”

“I’m such a huge fan.”

“Alright, alright, very funny.” Peter laughs but lets them shake him and hit him playfully.

…

Peter had enough energy for three of them. Steve put it down to the amount of sugar and junk food he had been snaking on throughout the day, and they let the kid run off to attempt the remaining carnival games without them.

They managed to find a quiet, sheltered spot along the perimeter near the sand, and Bucky sagged against the wall,

“Oh my god, how does he do it?” he sighed, rubbing his face.

Steve chuckled, draining the rest of Bucky’s frozen coke.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, it’s difficult for a senior citizen to keep up in a place like this.”

Bucky dropped his hands and stared at Steve incredulously.

“You’re literally sixteen months younger than me.”

Steve chucked the empty cup away and lent against the fence next to Bucky.

“Don’t worry, I like older men.” Steve winked, but couldn’t stop from giggling, and if he wasn’t so damn cute, Bucky would have punched him. The way his face got all scrunched up when he laughed made Bucky want to squish him like a kitten or a puppy.

Bucky swallowed his feelings and leant over to rest his head on Steve’s shoulder, basking in the warm afternoon sun. He curled his arms around Steve’s narrow waist, tucking his right hand into the back pocket of his jeans, and felt Steve curl into his arms. They swayed gently in silence for a while, listening to the crashing of the waves.

“You’re not still worried about becoming a me-me are you?” Bucky teased, and Steve laughed,

“Always. But no, not now.”

“You haven’t been this quiet since the Cyclone line.” Bucky pulled away a little, and Steve met his gaze before his eyes flickered down to Bucky’s smiling lips, so close to his own.

“I was thinking about last night, actually,” he confessed, and Bucky swallowed, his impish grin faltering for a moment.

“Oh yeah, what part?” And just like that, it was back along with a mischievous raised eyebrow.

Steve thought back to how he’d made Bucky completely unravel the night before – remembered glancing up from between his knees to see Bucky’s neck arched back, lips parting in a silent gasp. Steve watched Bucky now and wanted to make him come apart all over again, just so that he could reach up and catch his open mouth in a kiss and relish as Bucky groaned into his mouth…

“Just the part where I made you come undone completely beneath me.” Steve matched Bucky’s wicked grin and added a shrug for good measure.

“Oh, really?” Bucky challenged without missing a beat, leaning back against the wall, hands in his pockets. “Because I seem to remember someone pressed against the shower wall with their legs around my waist, losing all ability to form coherent English words,” Bucky tapped a metal finger against his chin – one of the very same that had caused Steve to (momentarily) short circuit. “I wonder who that could have been…?”

Bucky knew it’d make Steve blush, and he was rewarded as he watched the Star Spangled Man blush a deep crimson from the collar of his shirt, all the way to the tip of his nose. That very nose had made him shiver as it ran down his body, a ticklish echo of the kisses he had planted along the way, and Bucky shivered again at the memory.

But Bucky got more than just a blush, because a shadow crossed Steve’s face before he closed the distance between them – and this time it was Steve who pressed _him_ against the wall.

Caught off guard, Bucky’s hands came out of his pockets and hesitated in the air for a moment as his brain caught up. As soon as Steve pushed their lips apart, Bucky grabbed his shirtfront, and pulled him even closer, panting and breathing him in and running his tongue across Steve’s teeth and groaning when Steve ground his hips against Bucky’s and felt hands starting to roam–

“Hey, look what I won! _OH_ –!”

They both flinched away from each other, Steve practically launching himself across the beach, while Peter became suddenly fascinated by the ground, blushing something fierce.

“Sorry, Mr Cap– I mean– Winter Buck– I– I mean, ahh…” He scratched the back of his neck, an oversized golden lab plushie sitting on his shoulders.

“Hey,” Bucky punched him playfully in the shoulder. “It’s all good, kid.” He swallowed, tugging his shirt back into place.

“I, I didn’t mean to… ah, interrupt… I mean…”

Steve shook his head, opened his mouth to say something, hesitated, then closed it again.

 _‘Oh Christ,’_ Bucky thought, searching around desperately for something to distract them all. _‘Say something… say_ anything _.’_

“Did you win that?” He asked, pointing at the huge dog.

It worked. Peter’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, yeah I did! How cute is he? And I didn’t even use my powers this time, I swear.”

Steve chuckled and ruffled the golden fur. “Got a name?”

“Nah, not yet,”

“How ‘bout Tony?” Steve joked, but then realised that Tony would probably love that idea.

“I don’t know, I kinda like Steve,” Bucky smirked, and Steve shouldered him out of the way.

“Don’t listen to him – clearly Mr Hawaiian Shirt over here has no taste whatsoever.”

“Hey!” Bucky gave them a mock horrified expression and looked down at himself. “This is _stylish_! I got it from a real store with carpet and fancy labels and everything – Nat even approved! Besides, I don’t think you’re exactly the leading expert in modern style, pal.”

Peter laughed, and just like that, all the awkwardness had evaporated.

 _‘Thank god,’_ Bucky smiled, but when Steve caught his eye, he could still feel and taste the ghost of the kiss he’d left on his lips.

…

“What about one last ride before we leave?” Steve suggested, and the others cheered in support.

Peter raced off for another round on the ghost train, and they let him go gladly.  
“I really don’t get the appeal of that thing.” Steve shook his head and intertwined his fingers with Bucky’s metal hand. They roamed the carnival for a few minutes before arriving back in the centre where the huge Wonder Wheel stood turning gracefully.

“What about the Ferris wheel?” Steve looked up at the glittering lights in the twilight sky.

Bucky raised his eyebrows and followed Steve’s gaze up toward the classic ride. He slung his arm over his boyfriend’s shoulders.

“I dunno, Rogers – sounds like a pretty romantic date activity to me…” Bucky teased.

Steve reached up and pulled that god-forsaken tourist cap off Bucky’s head and put it on his own – at least now he didn’t have to look at it anymore.

“You got a problem with that?” He challenged.

Bucky’s lips squirmed into a wry smile at the sight of Steve wearing his cap at an angle with his hair all messy underneath. He wanted to kiss him until his lips were smudged and shove his hands under his shirt to feel Steve’s skin jump at the cool touch of metal pulling him closer, and suck on the soft skin under his jaw. But he was highly conscious of carnival goes still buzzing around them, so he made do with pulling Steve in for a giant kiss on the cheek instead.

“Only that it took you this long to suggest it.” Bucky grinned Steve’s favourite smile – the one that lit up his whole face and made his eyes shine. It was a smile that made Steve feel like they weren’t Captain America and the Winter Soldier, but just two kids from Brooklyn who had used a fortnight’s savings to go to Coney Island and get sick on popcorn and milkshakes.

Steve started to lean in for a kiss, and Bucky took the bait, but Steve pulled away at the last minute and dragged him towards the line.

“Such a jerk,” Bucky grinned, shaking his head.

 

Steve bought the tickets this time and the girl tending the line ushered them towards a free bench seat when it glided slowly by. She clicked the bar into place over their laps and playfully saluted them.

“Have fun!” She grinned, and Bucky chuckled as Steve waved back sheepishly.

The Wheel was the old-fashioned kind with open-air metal seats and a foot well beneath them. It was a nice reminder of the Coney Island Steve used to know. They were off immediately, their seat swinging gently as they began to rise.

“Well, you were right,” Steve admitted, turning to grin at Bucky but found him frowning and still. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Bucky’s back was ramrod straight, pushed as far as he could go into the back of their seat, and Steve’s heart lurched when he saw pain in those pale blue eyes.

“Woah, Buck…” He held his shoulder gently and Bucky blinked out of his reverie, and Steve couldn’t help but feel a stab of sadness when Bucky flinched away from him.

“Sorry…” Bucky breathed, his voice strained and he was at risk of hyperventilating. “I just… I– it’s so high…” Bucky was beginning to tremble and Steve held him tightly. “I can’t do it–” He tugged at the bar that held them in place, panicked like a caged animal.

“Hey, Buck, wait, you’re safe,” Steve soothed quickly, resting his hand atop Bucky’s metal one that was pressing indents into the bar and was in danger of breaking it off. “You’re safe here with me, I promise you,” he whispered.

Their seat slowly swung in the breeze as it passed the halfway mark and kept climbing. Bucky groaned, unable to tear his eyes off of the people and stalls below them, the night breeze cutting straight through him and he faltered completely.

“Please let me off, Stevie…” He whispered, and Steve’s heart broke at the pain Bucky was in, and felt guilt stab him in the gut at the realisation that it was his fault Bucky had this fear.

“I’m not letting you go, Buck,” Steve whispered back, his forehead and nose pressed against the side of Bucky’s face. He reached up and turned Bucky to face him, and the wince was visible in his eyes when Steve saw just how frightened he was.

“Just look at me, okay?” he said softly, and Bucky slowly nodded, trying to force himself to stop trembling. He took a deep breath, breathed in Steve’s scent and tried to focus on the heady, warm scent.

They reached the top and the ride halted to let riders off below. They swung gently at the top, but Bucky looked around, panicked.

“Oh god…” he swallowed, and Steve pulled him towards him in a gentle kiss, holding him as close as possible. Bucky’s lips and hands were trembling, but he pressed back a little, melting into the kiss like wax.

Bucky squeezed his eyes shut, unable to block out the memory of clutching onto swaying metal, the wind ripping through him as it warped under his weight…

The ride started up again and the bench lurched downwards, and Bucky gasped and moaned against Steve’s lips, clutching onto him so tight, he pinched skin. Bucky drew back a little and felt tears on his cheeks, but when he opened his eyes, Steve was still there, still holding him. His beard tickled Bucky’s nose when Steve lent forward and kissed his tears away, brushing his cheek with the pad of his thumb.

The tremor wouldn’t leave Bucky’s skin – it wouldn’t disappear completely until much later that night when Steve curled around him, hugging him close beneath the blankets – but he managed to swallow down the fear as the ride slowly returned them to the ground.

“Sorry…” Bucky looked down and loosened his grip a little, but couldn’t bring himself to let go of Steve’s shirtfront completely. He felt bad not only for having a panic attack in the one place that was impossible to escape from, but also for what it implicated. “I didn’t realise I’d–”

“Hey,” Steve soothed, and lifted his chin up so that he could catch his eyes and smile. “You don’t have to apologize for anything.”

Bucky’s smile was weak, but no less heartfelt.

“You know I don’t blame you… for anything, right?”

Steve reached down and covered Bucky’s left hand with his own on his chest, slowly drawing it to his lips and kissing the inside of his wrist. Bucky felt a soft flutter in his chest and breathed a little easier at the touch.

“I know. Sometimes I wish you would, though.” Steve looked at him sadly.

The Wheel slowed to let the people two seats away disembark. It was almost over – they’d be safe in a few minutes.

Bucky opened his mouth to say that Steve could never do anything to make him doubt his love for him, but Steve caught him in another quick kiss.

It spoke for both of them – spoke for their guilt, their love, their fear. But mostly for the gratitude they had for one another.

Steve held Bucky’s jaw and their eyes flickered open. It was time to get off.

“I love you, Bucky. And I promise, I’m never letting you go.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading!  
> I really wanted to post some fluff before Endgame because I think we all deserve it <3


End file.
